Blue Oak Canyon Ranch

I recently got the opportunity to work with the wonderful folks of the Blue Oak Canyon Ranch to build them a website to help get the word out about their fiber farm and the work they do to with heritage breeds of sheep. To quote them...

"Our beautiful, dry dry dry ranch is ten miles north and east of San Miguel, California. We are on the east edge (Diablo Range) of the southern Coast Ranges, in the Paso Robles area of California wine country. We cherish our landscapes, with Coast Live and Blue Oaks, Foothill Pines, Junipers, Chaparral, and grasslands. We raise sheep, llamas, turkeys, and chickens and specialize in heritage breeds of sheep: Navajo-Churro and the very rare Santa Cruz Island."

Check out these cool animals!

Santa Cruz Island Sheep

Navajo Churro 

Llamas!

Chickens, too!

It was so much fun working on their site and learning more.  And it was neat to find other folks that are interested in fiber animals and fiber processing like us!  I hope you will check out their site, Blue Oak Canyon Ranch, and click on their shop to see the great fleeces and processed wool they have.  (I think I may have to get some for us to spin!)

Ash

Joys of a new climate...

We are still getting used to the dramatic difference in climate from Eugene, Oregon to San Miguel/Paso Robles, Cali.  And so far we are really enjoying it.  There have been a few really warm days already, which is new, but we have been dealing with it well.  For example, my hubby found a great way to cool off with his 'redneck' pool/hot tub.  It has been cracking us up, but has also come in handy.

When it is warm, no fire, just a cool tub.  And when it is cool, light up the fire, which we pump water through a copper coil in the the fire pit and back to the tub.  Kind of ingenious, that man is.

The other thing that is so different is when to plant our vegis.  We got going early, planting greens and peas in February.  Look at the peas I just harvested already!  In Eugene, we were lucky if it was dry enough in May to even plant!

They were quite delicious.

Peppers are already coming on, and the tomatoes are doing well, too!

With it being sunny so often, the other thing that is different is how many eggs we get from the chickens!  Again, in Eugene, there was less light and was cooler, therefore the chickens molted and then slowed laying for the winter.  

But here, they are always laying!  I forgot to check for a couple of days and was over run with eggs!

Overall, we are loving the change.  We need rain here badly (or should say needed, as it is now past rainy season here), but we are making the most of it, and loving getting to be outdoors so often.  Dinners are outside, relaxing in the tub or hammock outside, or even my 'mobile office' that I set up outside....

Just me and the dog out on a hill doing our work.  Not too shabby.

Hope you are enjoying your Spring, wherever you may be!

Ash

Ackk! I am behind again on my Feature Friday. But I still want to feature Fresh From Home!

Man...sometimes I am so bad!  I have no good excuse for being late on this Feature Friday, but good news is that I am finally doing it!  And I am feeling this week like being a super self sufficient backyard homesteader, so thus why I have chosen to feature Fresh From Home - Adventures in Backyard Homesteading!

I first came upon this blog from Pinterest (I know, shocker!) when I saw this hilarious pic...

I am not sure if everyone will think this is as funny as I do, but I swear that my chickens do this with the dog.  They love to wander in the house, and my dog watches them intently whilst they meander through the kitchen.  Silly animals.

So of course I had to see what else was going on at this blog.  And if you are into the homesteading where you are sort of mentality at all, you will enjoy this website.  She has lots of great tutorials and tips on growing stuff....like this post on sprouts...

As well as yummy and interesting recipes, like this one for Springerle Cookies.  

There is something about the old way that food looked like art.  I think about reading Little House on the Prairie and how they would use a strawberry butter mold to make the butter look nice.  A kind of pride in the food.  I think I must try this out.

And then of course she has some great posts on her chickens.  I was especially interested in this post about her bunny living with her chickens!  We have had a bunny, definitely a tame house pet, that must have gotten loose and has come to hang out in the yard.  Maybe it stays with the chickens sometimes...hehe...

Their bunny doesn't even care that the chickens threw dirt on it! So cute.

Anyway, head on over and check the site out.  Fun to check out tips on gardening, all the fun chicken posts, and of course good food and tips!

Happy Feature Friday on a Sunday! 

Ash

Feature Fridays break...instead how about some garden fun and update to DIY Plant Markers!

I have been trying all week to get this blog post up!  So, I am taking a little break from my Feature Fridays to share this post.  Maybe not quite as exciting, but it is good to mix it up sometimes, right?

I am getting pretty excited about my little garden this year.  We have started with new, raised beds using cinder blocks.  I have one that is always shaded by a big pine tree, so that one is going to be the greens bed.  We have planted some yummy early greens in that bed and they are peeking their little heads up now!

And in the back there....that is my update to my shrink-dink (shrink plastic) plant markers!  I am so excited!  You may recall a post I had done before with a tutorial on making shrink plastic plant markers and attaching them to spoons?  Well, they were fun, but pretty basic.  I have had a lot of fun with new versions this year!  One of my friends helped me.  I wanted ones that even told the name of the seeds I was using.  I have to say, I am pretty proud of us. Hehe.  Check these out!

Each one is different and a lot of fun....arugula.... 

Cartouche style spinach....

Some Flashy Butter Oak Lettuce....

Mild Mesclun Mix....

London Springs Lettuce Mix...

This one is pretty cute  - see the little 'p's in there?  Because they are Sugar Snap Peas! hehe

And Oregon Sugar Snap Peas!

We made them a little small, so if you are making your own, err on too large.  They shrink a lot!  I would start with something at least 4-5 inches wide and a proportional height.

Finally, just for a giggle...look at this silly chicken.

I kept wondering how they were hopping the fence.....

Happy Friday!

Ash

Farm dreams and inspiration...

I have been dreaming of a tiny farm for some time now, and hope to make those dreams come true soon.  But in the meantime, I have been collecting ideas and inspiration and have to share some cool things I have found....

First, I will definitely need one or several of these...

Pic found here

And maybe a few of these....

Found at Cute Animal Pics 

And of course I will have to have more of these....

Image found here

(Those are Lavender Orpingtons!!  I def want a few of those.)

And speaking of chickens, I will have to build a fun new coop for all the ladies....maybe like this one?

Image found here

Or maybe this one - more simple and rustic?

Tuesdays with Dorie

And then of course, I really want both an outdoor kitchen area and an outdoor shower/tub area.  The kitchen could be something simple like this to start....

Home Depot's image

And then maybe turn into something bigger and better, like this....

(Found on Pinterest and unable to link back to original.)

But the kitchen would have to have a little entertaining area....

(Found on Pinterest and unable to link back to original.)

As for outdoor bathing...I kinda love these...

HGTV

Two Men and a Little Tub

And having one of these to go daydream in would be heaven....

(Found on Pinterest and unable to link back to original.)

Yes, there is so much to dream about, as well as the actual farming, of course!  I am super excited for that piece, too.

Now off to go set up my raised beds while the sun it trying to shine in the Pacific Northwest....

Happy dreaming!

Ash

Feature Fridays and Fresh Eggs Daily

Today I have been thinking about farming and thought I'd share something farmy with you.  I have also been thinking a lot about my chickens, as I lost my first chicken recently.  I have no idea why, as the others appear to all be fine, but I have been a bit of a worry wart since the incident.  So, I guess farming and chickens have been on the mind.

So when I found this lovely blog, Fresh Eggs Daily, I knew I had to share it with you all.  It is a fun blog that talks about the fun of owning chickens and gives a lot of tips and tricks for the funny little girls.

For example, she has a great list of things not to feed to your chickens for various reasons.  

This is a very good list, and goes further into the details than other lists I have found.  Very helpful!

I also like that she shares photos documenting each week on the farm.  I love to see farms and the funny animals that live on them, so it is super fun to see what goes on...like the end of January on her farm....

Very cool.  Someday I will have a couple horses.  I hope.

And to top it off, she shares DIY's and recipes.  I really need to try this clover french bread recipe!  I love that she is a reader of Mary Jane's Farm, which is one of my new favorite magazines, and where she got the basis for this bread.

If you are feeling a little like checking out some farm living, like I have been, go check out this fun blog and say hello.  And if you are thinking about getting chickens, do it!  They are so much fun and you get the awesome reward of delicious, rich eggs. 

Ash

Sad news on the urban farm....lost my first chicken

Sad news.  Yesterday, we lost our first chicken on our little backyard farm.  I have to say that I have been pretty lucky, as our chickens have been happy little chickens for some time, and I am actually a little surprised it took us this long to lose a hen.

I went out yesterday morn and found Peeper Planes (the red one above) laying in the run.  No apparent cause, and from talking with other chicken experts, sometimes they just do that.  I am watching the other girls carefully, just in case.  They appear to be fine so far.

I dunno about others with small flocks, but it is pretty easy to get attached to the little birds.  I was kind of surprised how much it upset me.  I was not a total wreck, as I know I would be if the dog or cat were to pass on, but it still got to me.  She was a pretty cool chicken, one of the older gals that I had definitely made more tame than the newer ones.

I felt as though I needed to share.  I think it is important to remember that life is short, no matter chicken or person, and that I appreciated the eggs she gave and watching her be a little goofy chicken.  And important to remember that this stuff happens sometimes.  (And especially if I want a bigger piece of land with more chickens!)

Bye bye, Miss Peeper Planes.  Thanks for everything!

Ash

Feature Fridays...Checkout Girl

I love felt...and when I was first really getting into the fun stuff you can make with it, I came across Melissa's blog, Checkout Girl.  I cannot believe the adorable stuff that she makes with felt!  Her embroidery with felt is almost too cute.  For Christmas one year I tried to make something sorta similar, and was wishing I had just purchased one of her creations.  They are way better.

For instance...you know I love chickens.  So how awesome is this?

Teehee!!! Check out the evolution of this little chicken creation here.

The applique that I tried was from this tutorial (which was featured on Sew Mama Sew) called, Little Pink House.  Mine was ok, but hers is so cute.

Cute, right?

And I just found this one....

LOVE!  

Check out her blog and her etsy shop.  Right now.  And tell me that you can even come close to her embroidery and applique.  The details that she gets into on faces and people, out of this world!

Melissa, thanks for sharing your talents and your process with us.  So fun to see!

Ash

PS- For those that visit my blog, if you have not yet, join my blog on the right sidebar, or get new posts to your email by subscribing! 

Feature Fridays and Little House in the Suburbs!

This week I have to feature a blog that I go to all the time for tips and advice for backyard farming, Little House in the Suburbs.  I first stumbled onto the site when I was searching for advice on my loud little chickens.  Sometimes my girls get a total bug up their...ahem...feathers... and I was curious if I was doing something wrong.  I found that other people also have issues, and that girls just tend to want to squawk their little heads off when they lay an egg.  I guess if I was laying an egg that size everyday, I'd be pretty proud, too. (Or something like that.)

Anyway, Deanna and Daisy basically have everything you'd want to know and learn about working with a backyard farmyard, aka, urban farming.  Like these FAQ/Chicken Myths post that I love.  Or patterns for crochet dishcloths like this cute Cabbage Patch one...

And I think you know by now how much I love reusing and recycling and they have a whole craft section on this.  I LOVE this garden bench made from an old bed frame.  I am working on my yard this summer and think this might be just the thing I need!

And all kinds of DIY's, including body care products, cleaning products, or things for the house and garden, like this little rainbow trellis!

You can also check out their recipes, and tips to simplify.  Oh, and you can subscribe to their newsletter, and get info about all of the above as it comes out!  Last but not least, make sure to check out their Linky Party!

Hope you check out Little House in the Suburbs and find it as useful as I have!

Have a great weekend!

Ash

Upcycling in the garden...

Since the chickens last massacred the garden, I have had to become more creative in my gardening.  As I mentioned a few posts ago, it has become all about containers for me.  I love letting my chickens roam free in the backyard too much, thus, I have basically sacrificed the back to the chicken gods, leaving me ornamental plants, and the few other plants that they won't eat, like rosemary, horseradish, dill, and several other herbs.  Hmmm....actually as I type this out, I think I now know what is going in the old vegi bed!  I will try an array of herbs and see what makes it through! hehe

Anyway, we recently made a trip to our local ReStore - BRING Recycling - and I found a few more fun things for my gardening.  One thing I really needed was a new trellis for my pretty-vining-pink-flower-plant (no idea what it is...lol) and while we were there we found an old ladder.  Perfect!!  Doesn't matter to me that you can't use it to stand on!

I draped the vine over the new 'trellis' and then added a few shelved for potted plants!  Viola!  I absolutley love it!

I have also been going through belongings trying to think of new uses.  As you might notice above, the green waste basket has a new purpose as a planter for some yummy arugula.

The other thing I found at BRING was a few lamp fixtures shade things.  Turn them over and poof!  Instant pot!

This cute white one has holes in the 'bottom' all ready for drainage where you would attach it to the light.  Set a little piece of broken pottery in the bottom to make sure all the soil stays in, then plan in style!  Here I have a cherry tomato plant and some cilantro!  MMM!

I bought one more lamp fixture shade thing, but have yet to decide what it will have planted inside.  It is more decorative with a smaller 'mouth' so I am thinking it might be ready for some flowers.

Just remember to think outside the pot when gardening!  

Ash

The things I do for my chickens....

Well....I have yet to finish the fencing project to keep my chickens out of my garden.  This new fencing project culminated from 2 things: 1) The 2nd time the chickens figured their way out their run and ate all my new plants and 2) the snowstorm here ruined all kinds of bushes in the yard.  

So I began putting together a fence from the broken bushes.  But it is taking much longer than I had initially planned, and I had purchased some plants that just could not wait any longer to be planted.

So...I planted them all in containers and put them in the front yard.  

Pepper, garlic, and basil....

Peas in the foreground, more basil in the middle and hard to see, but greens in the back.

And more peas and some chard mixed in.

I hope they do good! I guess they will do better than in the back yard with the chickens! hehe  

We shall see if I can get the garden fence into shape soon so I can plant tomatoes, corn and squash!

Ash